As exam season takes over, our student sleeping patterns are brutally abused by late night cramming and many a crash-out. Whether it’s waves of anxiety or adrenaline, it can be hard to shut off our brains and get some much-needed REM. For many of us, the solution is filling our ears and minds with music, gently in the background, or even blasting through headphones, to block out the facts and equations endlessly drifting through our thoughts.

There is some scientific support for this. Studies have found that listening to music as you doze off not only reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, and improves the quality of the sleep you’re getting, but that it can decrease stress levels. Listening to music reduces the stress hormone cortisol, and triggers the release of dopamine, allowing your subconscious mind to rest. Whether it’s for this reason, or just to escape your noisy corridor neighbours who, painfully, are done with their exams before you, some yawn-worthy tunes may be the solution.

“Listening to music as you doze off reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, and improves the quality of the sleep you’re getting”

Some may say that listening to music while you sleep is an acquired taste, to that I say you might just not have found the right sleepy sounds for you. So, what are the best choices?

When you search for sleepy playlists on Spotify, you’re bound to be met with an influx of gentle orchestral compositions, ambient piano, and songs made up of low, harmonising sounds with titles like ‘Foggy Morning’ or ‘Contemplation’. These are popular for a reason, the music is just sufficient to soothe and relax, without any lyrics to worm their way into your head and keep you from falling completely asleep. If you are looking for unique recommendations I would suggest It Is The Nature Of Dreams To End, a poignant heartfelt album by Reeder which is unrivalled in its instrumental softness.

Many of us religiously listen to classical music while we study, relying on it to separate ourselves from everything except the complex concepts staring out from our laptop screens. We all know the pleading look of despair that your friend shoots you from across the desk when their headphones die, leaving them to cope with the suddenly not-so-quiet library, or coffee shop. Our dependency on classical music for focus means these tunes are as likely to send you off to sleep as they are to place you right back amid the stress and dread of endless exam-season days.

The solution to this, I’ve been told, is white noise. Or brown noise, or green, or blue, or orange. White noise is famous for sending you to sleep, green is perfect for relaxation, and pink is known for enhancing memory. While there are different benefits to each, they all provide a seamless backdrop for your mind to slow down and embrace some shuteye. Although they are perhaps not for everyone, I would recommend giving these non-musical noises a try, they can mimic a fan, or steady stream of rain, and I’m assured there’s something for everyone.

Of course, if you’re someone who doesn’t mind a gentle lyric, then we all have our favourites. Those artists whose smooth voice immediately alleviates the tension that you didn’t know was held in your shoulders. For me, it’s Gregory Alan Isakov, an indie folk singer with poetic storytelling and a warm baritone timbre. Sometimes even a movie soundtrack, such as Little Miss Sunshine, or even How to Train Your Dragon can transport you to a serene calmness (provided the mere reminder of the film isn’t too emotionally strenuous…).

A top suggestion for anyone who loves a melodic lyric but finds themselves learning the words when they’d rather melt into the music, is listening to sleepy songs in a foreign language. Whether it’s some Ichiko Aoba, Carla Bruni, Leeheesang, Isla Scott, or Patrick Watson, there’s nothing quite like the beauty of another language washing over you. From French, to Japanese, Swedish, or Gaelic, there are breathtaking harmonies to be found in every tongue.

“I encourage you to take the time and find that perfect album that sends you off to your well-earned sleep”

Finally, a genre which, despite often loved for its upbeat energy, has a soul and a sweetness that make it my personal favourite for sleeping, is jazz. Its capacity for that soft spontaneity that follows curves and ripples with utter beauty is, in my clearly biased opinion, unmatched. An artist that epitomises the bliss of soft jazz is Laufey, an Icelandic singer-songwriter with a transfixing, pearly voice, whose albums include Everything I Know About Love and Bewitched, and who has rapidly risen in popularity over the last few years.

No matter your tune of choice, music is an indispensable part of relaxing for many of us. So I encourage you to take the time and find that perfect album that sends you off to your well-earned sleep.